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China

• Authorities raid worship service in Hunan Province

  Chinese authorities raided a house church worship service held by members of the Hope Church in the city of Changsha, Hunan Province, on December 12. At approximately 9:30 a.m., dozens of believers were gathered for worship when police officers and government officials arrived on scene. The authorities forced the believers to disperse and confiscated several items belonging to the church, including the podium, chairs and air-conditioner. They also took into custody two of the believers -- Pastor Zing Jinfu and Minister Le -- who were taken to a local police station and questioned for a couple of hours.

  It is not known if this raid was part of the nationwide "Operation Deterrence" campaign that the Politburo of the Chinese Communist Party launched on December 1 against all house churches in the nation. Even if it was not officially part of this campaign, there is fear that local authorities could be increasing the frequency and severity of their moves against this church in the coming weeks in relation to the nationwide crackdown.

  Pray that members of the Hope Church will be encouraged to continue to meet together despite opposition (Hebrews 10:23-25). Ask God to embolden all believers in China to continue to proclaim their faith in Him boldly and demonstrate His love to others in the nation. Pray for significant and lasting advances in religious freedom in China.

  For more on the persecution of Christians in China, go to theChina Country Report.

• Stand in solidarity with missing Christian

  Gao last seen with his family in January 2009 Photo from ChinaAid

  For nearly two years, Gao Zhisheng, a Christian human rights lawyer in China has been detained by authorities, his whereabouts often unknown (click here for more details). Initially, authorities seized him from his home in Shaanxi province on February 4, 2009, and held him incommunicado for 13 months. In early April 2010, news surfaced that he had been released. Shortly thereafter, however, he was again reported missing.

  In an October radio interview, Gao's wife, Geng He, expressed her and her family's eagerness to find him: "My family only wants to get some news of him. When I talked with his sister, she said: 'He is a member of the family. No matter what he does, such as eating the daily meals, sleeping or even taking a walk outside, anything would make us miss him. Where on earth has he gone?' The entire family of mine is puzzled and we have been looking for him ever since."

  Pray for continued resilience of faith and comfort for Gao's loved ones in these uncertain times. Pray that Gao will continue to look to his Lord and Father for strength and guidance as he suffers. Pray that Chinese authorities will justly respect religious freedom. Pray that the Church in China will continue to show the light of God's love and truth and remain strong amid opposition.

  For more information on the suffering of China's Christian community, go to theChina Country Report.

• Church building demolished in Jiangsu province

  The rubble of the Chengnan Church Photo from ChinaAid

  A church building was recently demolished in Tinghu district, Jiangsu province, China. On November 19, Chengnan Church -- that belongs to the Three-Self Patriotic Movement and is legally registered with the government -- was destroyed on orders of the local government. The demolition came as a surprise, as registered churches in China do not typically face the same intensity of persecution from the government as non-registered churches. In response to the situation, ChinaAid President Bob Fu said, "While the government's powerful backhoes can destroy church buildings, they can never destroy the faith in the hearts and souls of believers. No one can stop the vigorous growth of the church in China. The Cross will surely be hoisted high in China by the glory of God and the sickle and ax will surely fall in shame."

  Pray for the members of this church, as they are now without a building in which to hold worship. Pray that, despite the loss of their building, they will be reassured of their lasting and more precious inheritance (Hebrews 10:36, 37). Pray that the Word of God will continue to be declared with clarity, boldness, love and power by all believers in China.

  To find out more about the opposition facing Christians in China, go to theChina Country Report.

• Churches raided; members detained

  Officials in China raided at least two churches in recent weeks. On November 10, Public Security Bureau officers and representatives from the Bureau of Religion disrupted a church meeting being held in the city of Shuangcheng, Heilongjiang province. The general ledger of the church was confiscated. On the morning of November 12, local officials and members of the Bozhou Bureau of Religion raided a house-church meeting held in Pingyao county, in Shanxi province. Several items belonging to the church were confiscated. Officials took at least 10 believers away, and five of them were detained until late afternoon.

  Pray for encouragement for these believers as they face oppression for their faith. Pray that the Church in China will undergo such trials with Christ-like endurance and faithfulness. Pray that the Chinese government will truly respect the religious freedom of its citizens.

  For more on the persecution of Christians in China, go to theChina Country Report.

• Three schools raided; believers questioned

  A classroom in China

  Officials invaded kindergarten classes in the Southern provinces of Guangdong, Guangxi and Hainan, China on November 7. All three schools raided are under the leadership of Sun Haiping, who is the wife of formerly imprisoned house-church pastor Wang Dao (click here for more information). Sun is also part of the Chinese delegation currently in Washington D.C., which focuses on issues of democracy and religious freedom.

  During the raids, officials questioned teachers and children concerning where Sun was and what her purpose was for traveling to the United States. They also asked if the school owned Bibles or distributed them to students. Sun said of the incidents: "If this was a normal school inspection, the PSB (Public Security Bureau) would not have been there, and it would have been led by the Education Bureau. The schools are at risk of being shut down."

  Please pray that Sun Haiping and her husband, Wang Dao, will stay strong and faithful. Pray that the children in these schools will be able to continue receiving quality education from equipped and dedicated teachers. Pray for significant and lasting advances in religious freedom in China.

  To learn more about the sufferings of Christians in China, go to theChina Country Report.

• Authorities raid Christian's home

  Pastor Hua Huiqi Photo from ChinaAid

  Approximately 10 police officials raided the home of a Christian in Beijing, China, in an effort to search for Hua Huiqi, a formerly imprisoned pastor. Every room in the house was ransacked, including a bedroom belonging to a child. The officials questioned the homeowner about intentions to meet with foreigners later that evening.

  In response to the incident, the owner later spoke these powerful words: "Because the Beijing police have crossed the line, and have blatantly and continually abused the basic rights of my entire family, I hereby announce that today I will begin to continually fast and pray. I will pray to the Lord to bless China and to fill it with righteousness! I also request, brothers and sisters, that you pray for me and my family, and that God may grant us freedom from fear!"

  Pray that this believer will continue to set Christ apart as Lord without giving in to fear, always prepared to share Christ while living a holy life (1 Peter 3:14-17). Pray that other Christians facing opposition in China will also remain confident in Christ and look prayerfully and faithfully to Him. Pray that China will no longer violate the human rights of its citizens. Pray also for safety for Pastor Hua Huiqi.

  For more on the persecution of Christians in China, visit the Country Report at theChina Country Report.

• Police harass Christians invited to international conference

  Several Chinese Christian invitees to The Third Lausanne Congress on World Evangelization -- which began on October 16 in Cape Town, South Africa -- have recently faced harassment from authorities. On October 17, police raided a hotel in Beijing where more than 30 house church Christians, all invited delegates of the Lausanne Congress who had been blocked by Beijing customs officials, were gathered for a worship service. The officials charged the believers with holding an illegal gathering and sent most of them home. Others, including at least four pastors, were seized by police and taken to an undisclosed location. According to the pastors' families, authorities plan to detain the leaders until October 25 -- the last day of the Lausanne Congress.

  Pray for the release of those detained. Pray that Chinese believers facing opposition will stand firm in their faith and continue to live in unwavering obedience to the Lord. Pray for God's blessings on the Lausanne Congress. Pray that the Chinese government will recognize the rights of its Christian citizens and uphold true justice.

  You can find out more about the persecuted Church in China at theChina Country Report.

• Authorities harass Christian attorney

  Photo from ChinaAid

  A Christian attorney, Jiang Tianyong, was seized by police officers on his way to a worship service in Beijing on October 10. Jiang was on route to his church when police officers blocked his way, claiming that the deputy director of Yangfangdian Police Station would not allow him to go to church. Jiang then phoned the station and was told that it was actually Song Aixin, an official from the Haidian Public Security Branch, who was preventing him from attending church. When Jiang called Song Aixin, he was urged to cooperate. "I wondered how he wanted me to cooperate," Jiang later said of the experience. "Should I cooperate with the police in violating the law?... Should I give up my personal freedom and the freedom to worship before they can call it 'cooperation?' I said that, as a Christian, I had to attend today's worship service."

  Jiang told the officers that he was determined to go to church, but said they could follow him if they wished. He and his family then attempted again to make their way to the service, this time with plainclothes officers trailing them. At the subway station, however, two young police officers suddenly grabbed Jiang from behind while his wife and child watched on in fear. Jiang told his family to leave and then tried to talk with the two officers, who said it would be a "serious act of dereliction" if he attended church. They held him long enough to prevent him from making it to the service before escorting him home.

  The incident follows harassment Jiang and his family faced in the second week of September, when authorities followed him, hacked into his email and changed the locks on his wife's bicycle and their home. (Source: ChinaAid)

  Pray for endurance of faith for Jiang and his family amid harassment. Pray that they will continue to yield their hearts to God's will and demonstrate His love even to their oppressors. Pray that Christians in China will continue to exercise their right to worship despite opposition.

  For more on the persecution of Christians in China, go to theChina Country Report.

• Church raided, members beaten and robbed

  On September 26, a house church meeting in Youqing, Sichuan province was interrupted by 10 police and security people, who proceeded to destroy and confiscate private property and detain and beat church members. The authorities, who claimed the gathering was illegal, smashed one desk and about 30 benches and hauled them away. They also confiscated the Christians' books, as well as 500 Yuan (approximately $75 CDN). They then took 20 Christians to the police station where they were interrogated. Five were released after their families posted bail, but the others remained detained for several hours before being released. During the detention, the director of the station beat two of the believers, Wang Junzhang and Yan Chuanchun. When the some of the believers returned the next day to retrieve their property, five were given 15 days' detention for "disrupting the public order under the guise of religion." (Source: ChinaAid)

  Praise the Lord for the faithfulness of Chinese Christians who continue to meet together in fellowship, at great risk. Please pray for the release of those in custody. Pray that those who were beaten will be strengthened and fully restored.

  To learn more about the suffering Church in China, please visit theChina Country Report.

• Church demolished, Bible study raided

  Nearly 200 police officers demolished the prayer room of Taishan Christian Church in Taizhou, Zhejiang province, China on September 21 on the grounds of a "building code violation." After the demolition, dozens of church members arrived on site and worshipped the Lord, reciting the Bible and singing hymns while the police officers tried to disperse them. A member of the church said a line of police prevented them from removing their belongings from the prayer room. The attack was the second such incident in less than a month, as authorities previously destroyed prayer rooms on August 30. Commenting on the incidents, Pastor Zhu said, "The last time they came here, they tore down six of the eight rooms.... [In this attack], about 200 people came again and surrounded the entire place. Then, they totally leveled the buildings, stating that the structures violated the building code."